ABSTRACT
Mr. Everett Alvarez is a prior Navy pilot and officer who served during the Vietnam War as a Lieutenant Junior Grade (LTJG, O-2). Mr. Alvarez was the first pilot shot down, captured, and held as a prisoner of war (POW) at the Hoa Lò Prison, also known as the "Hanoi Hilton." He was held as a POW for 8.5 years, the second longest period of time a United States service member has been held captive. After his release and return to the United States, Mr. Alvarez continued his Naval service with a successful career. He went on to receive his Master of Science degree in Operations Research and Systems Analysis and retired at the rank of Commander (CDR, O-5). Retired CDR Alvarez has continued his service to the United States by holding positions such as the Deputy Director of the Peace Corps, Deputy Administrator of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and Chairman and board member of the Board of Regents for the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU). Interviewers were doctoral candidates in the USU Department of Medical and Clinical Psychology and Graduate School of Nursing. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).
Subject(s)
Military Personnel/psychology , Pilots/psychology , Prisoners/psychology , Survival/psychology , Torture/psychology , History, 20th Century , History, 21st Century , Humans , United States , Vietnam ConflictABSTRACT
Current Veterans administration policy directly links a Veteran's adjudged capacity to manage personal financial resources with their ability to purchase or possess a firearm, pursuant to the regulatory authority of the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). Preventing Veterans' suicide is a highly laudable public health objective. Effectively utilizing scientific research to "inform" public policy is equally important. The authors should be congratulated for their efforts. However, it is important in utilizing large set population-based data, especially social science data, to evaluate policy alternatives that there be substantial face (i.e., clinical) validity. Correlation does not necessarily represent causation.
